Shohei Ohtani’s struggles at the plate since returning from an injury in September have been well documented. He hasn’t hit a home run since then, has produced one RBI and had a brutal .154 OPS during the Dodgers’ four-game NLDS against the Braves.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) is at bat during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves in game two of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Oct. 4, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Yet, this is Shohei Ohtani — one of the greatest players in the sport’s history.
It’s a matter of when, not if, Ohtani is going to turn things around. And this should scare the other teams still playing baseball this season.
“At some point, it’s going to click for him. And the other [teams are] going to be in big trouble when that happens,” Friedman said of Ohtani.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning in game four of the National League Division Series at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, Oct. 7, 2026. Getty Images
All it might take is one pitch or one good swing for Ohtani to begin feeling like himself. Perhaps that will happen in the NLCS against the Brewers. Perhaps it will happen if the Dodgers advance to the World Series.
But Ohtani is too good for this slump to persist much longer. And when he does turn things around, Los Angeles’ already elite offense will get its anchor back.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) stands near home plate during a break in the action against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, Sept. 26, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 8: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics high five after the game on March 8, 2026 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics begin their preseason slate with a game against the Cavaliers in Cleveland. The Celtics held the first few days of training camp in Boston and then traveled to South Carolina for 3 days of camp at The Citadel. The Cavaliers traveled a bit farther as they traveled to Andalusia, Spain for training camp from September 30 through October 5.
The Cavaliers kept their core group of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen together. They added a 3&D guy in Peyton Watson, who came over from Denver. They also added Jaylon Tyson and rookie Meleek Thomas, who was the 34th pick in this year’s draft. They lost Max Strus, Dean Wade, Dennis Schroder, Larry Nance, Jr, and Keon Ellis.
The Celtics kept a core group of Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Neemias Queta together. In what was the most controversial trade of the summer, they traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George. They also brought in Mike Conley and Mitchell Robinson as free agents. They also drafted Chris Cenac, Jr with the 27th pick of the draft.
The starting lineups are a guess on my part. For the Celtics, Derrick White, Jayson Tatum and Paul George are pretty much a lock to start. There is a question mark at center where Joe may start either Neemias Queta, who started last season and had a break out season, or new arrival Mitchell Robinson. At Shooting Guard, Payton Pritchard may start, or Joe may choose to start one of the talented wings who have shown improvement in camp.
Boston Celtics Roster Chris Cenac, Jr Mike Conley Luka Garza Paul George Hugo Gonzalez Ron Harper, Jr Sam Hauser Payton Pritchard Neemias Queta Mitchell Robinson Baylor Scheierman Jayson Tatum Jordan Walsh Derrick White 2-Way Players Dillon Mitchell Amari Williams
Exhibit 10 Players Devin Carter Tucker DeVries Hayden Gray Gabe MccGlothan Milos Uzan
Injuries None
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Possible Celtics Starters PG: Derrick White SG: Payton Pritchard SF: Paul George PF: Jayson Tatum C: Neemias Queta
Cleveland Cavaliers Roster Jarrett Allen Thomas Bryant Khalifa Diop James Harden Mario Hezonja Sam Merrill Donovan Mitchell Evan Mobley Craig Porter, Jr Tyrese Proctor Meleek Thomas Nae’Qwan Tomlin Jaylon Tyson Peyton Watson
2-Way Players Tristan Enaruna Riley Minix Ernest Udeh, Jr Exhibit 10 Players Rashaun Agee Zach Austin Curtis Jones Kadary Richmond
Injuries None Head Coach Kenny Atkinson Possible Cavaliers Starters PG: James Harden SG: Donovan Mitchell SF: Peyton Watson PF: Evan Mobley C: Jarrett Allen
What to Watch How Jayson Tatum Plays – Jayson Tatum played in just 16 games last season, plus 6 playoff games. He looked good and averaged almost 22 points and 10 rebounds, however, he didn’t seem to have the same explosion that he did before the injury. He also played along side of Jaylen Brown for the past 10 years and will be playing as the Alpha without him for the first time in his career.
How About the New Guys– How will Paul George’s game fit with Jayson Tatum and how will he play in the Celtics’ system. Does he still have a lot in the tank and can he still play at a high level? Will Mitchell Robinson start or come off the bench and how will his game fit with Mazzulla Ball? Can he hit his free throws? Mike Conley has already proved to be a good signing as he is mentoring the younger players. How much will he contribute on the court? Can Chris Cenac, Jr contribute this season? Improvement from Young Guys – There are reports from camp that Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper, Jr and Hugo Gonzalez are all improved from last season. They are all hungry and want to earn playing time. Which ones have improved the most and will earn a larger role and more playing time? Roster Battles – The Celtics have one regular roster spot and one 2-Way spot open. They have 5 talented and intriguing players in camp on Exhibit 10 contracts. One of them will win the final 2-way spot. The Celtics have kept the final spot open in the past but will one of these players impress enough to earn that final spot. X-Factors It’s the Preseason – The preseason is a time for the coaches to get a look at players who may or may not make the team, to experiment with lineups and different plays. Wins and losses are not as important as learning things about the players and the team. Regardless of whether the Celtics win or lose it will be great to see them on the court again!!
Rust and Chemistry– This is the first preseason game with some new faces for both teams. Even with the same group, the first game always includes shaking off a lot of rust. Hopefully the Celtics can quickly play through the rust and play together as a team right from the start and that the new players can quickly gel with the returning Celtics.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 13: Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred speaks during the 2026 All-Star Legacy Veterans Multi-Service Center renovation at Veterans Multi-Service Center on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Major League Baseball is heading straight for a work stoppage. Of that we are all almost 100% certain, as the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires on December 1st and both MLB and the MLB Players Association seem far apart on their biggest demands.
Chief among those is the scuttlebutt surrounding a potential cap and floor on total payrolls, something championed by several owners who see spending money as the lone way to compete in this sport (while the low-budget Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, and Cleveland Guardians all remain alive in the postseason).
A new wrinkle was leaked on Thursday however. As ESPN’s Jeff Passan relayed, MLB proposed limiting the regular season to just 154 games (down from 162) as part of a structural overhaul of the regular and postseasons, with a caveat that Division Series would move to a best of seven format.
Major League Baseball proposed cutting the regular-season schedule from 162 games to 154 games in a bargaining session with the MLBPA today. Also part of its proposal: higher seeds in playoffs get to choose their opponents, and division series expand to seven games.
The other fun wrinkle here is that teams could then choose their opponents in the postseason, something that’s been a topic of discussion just about every postseason as some Wild Card teams finish with records far greater than teams who won weak divisions (and therefore ended up with tougher overall paths to advancing).
Shaving off games during the regular season means shaving off money from gameday receipts, television contracts, and the like. It would also mean fewer overall game checks for players, so this would be something the MLBPA would likely be in opposition to unless there were significantly greater incentives for playing in the postseason. Such is life in a labor/owner negotiation, as there are billions of dollars riding on these seemingly small decisions.
I can only assume we’ll get more interesting ideas leaked in this entire process. Keep in mind this is the same league with the same commissioner who gave us the Manfred Man, killed the shift, added pitch clocks and ABS, and slapped sponsor logos on helmets. Change does not seem to phase Rob Manfred, so change will 100% be on the table early and often within these negotiations all winter.
NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Nelson Cruz #17 of the Texas Rangers reacts to a home run ball hit by Robinson Cano #24 of the New York Yankees in the bottom of the second inning of Game Four of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 19, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For me, one of the most memorable moments from the 2010 Texas Rangers playoff run — the season the Rangers won a playoff series for the first time ever, the season the Rangers went to the World Series for the first time ever — is a scene from a play where things went bad for the Rangers.
Specifically, it involves the second inning of Game Four of the ALCS, when the New York Yankees, down 2 games to 1, took the lead in a game that they needed to win to bring the series back to even.
The first ten batters of the game had been retired — six Rangers hitters sat down by Yankee starter A.J. Burnett, four Yankees hitters by Tommy Hunter of the Rangers. The #5 hitter for the Yanks, Robinson Cano, got down 0-1 to Hunter before lofting a fly ball to the wall in right field. Nelson Cruz looked like he might have a play on it, but it was caught by a backwards hat wearing Yankees bro in the first row.
The immediate aftermath of the play was captured in this immortal gif:
I have no idea how many times in my life I’ve watched this. Hundreds? Thousands? I feel like I have watched it at least 50 times just today, thinking about doing this post, and then with it cycling on the screen as I continue typing this post.
I really get so much joy from this gif. I feel like Sam Malone on Cheers with the painting of the dogs playing poker, talking about how he sees something new every time he looks at it. There’s so much going on there, and I wish I could find the old SBN piece — I think by Jon Bois, but maybe by Grant Brisbee or Jeff Sullivan — where he offers up a backstory for each person in the gif, and read it again, and make all of y’all read it again.
Part of the reason that I can get joy from this gif is that, well, the Rangers went on to win the game, and then the series. Kind of like I’d probably find some humor and lightness in another extra base hit over Nelson Cruz’s head that occurred a little over a year later, had the Rangers ended up winning that Game 6 (or the subsequent Game 7).
But at the time, it sucked, and I hated the Yankee bro, and everyone else in this shot — yes, including the popcorn guy in glasses, and the two different kids — with a degree of sports hate that I had previously reserved solely for Dwight Clark and for the 1996 Seattle Mariners.
The hate didn’t last long. The Rangers tied it up in the top of the third, gave up singletons in the third and fourth to go down 3-2, but then exploded for eight runs in the final four innings,* rolling to an easy 10-3 win.
* The Rangers scored five runs in all off of Burnett, the final three coming on a two out, three run home run by Bengie Molina in the top of the sixth, a play that may have inspired my “most momentum-shifting play in baseball” mantra. They scored one off of Boone Logan, one off of Joba Chamberlain, and three off of Sergio Mitre. The only Yankee pitcher who made an appearance and didn’t give up a run was future Rangers great David Robertson.
Texas was up 3-1 in the series, and though they fell to the Yankees in Game 5 behind a bad C.J. Wilson start and an offense that managed just two runs on 13 hits (one of which was a Matt Treanor home run, shoutout to Mr. May!), they rolled over New York in their return to Arlington for the Good Game 6. Colby Lewis — who was incredible in that postseason run — threw eight innings of three hit, one run ball, Vlad Guerrero and Nelson Cruz sparked a four run fifth to give the Rangers a comfy lead, and Neftali Feliz finished it off by freezing ARod on a called strike three:
Seriously, watch this clip again (even though you have to sit through a stupid 15 second commercial because MLB.com has to monetize their video snippets). Remember that feeling? Remember how amazing that was? I still get goosebumps when I watch the Corey Seager World Series home run, and I still get goosebumps when I watch this.
So, yeah, the Yankees bro gif is fun to me. It makes the Rangers comeback, and ultimate series win over New York, all the more delightful.
The 2010 Yankees, you may recall, were the defending World Series champions, having beaten the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 World Series four games to two. (Both losses, incidentally, were against Cliff Lee, who shut out the Yankees on two hits over eight innings in Game 3 of the 2010 ALCS. The Yankees, of course, tried to get Lee from the Mariners at the 2010 trade deadline before the Rangers out-bid them, and there was talk that Lee was in the Yankees’ head, much like Mike Scott was in the head of the Yankees’ crosstown rivals in the NLCS in 1986).
The 2010 Yankees were favored over the Rangers, even though the Rangers had homefield advantage. The Yankees had the second best record in the A.L., with 95 wins, while the Rangers had the worst record of the four A.L. playoff teams, at “just” 90-72. The Yankees still had Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte from their dynasty teams, plus high-priced former Rangers Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, stud second baseman Robinson Cano (who the Rangers could have had in the ARod trade, though they picked Joaquin Arias instead) in his prime, C.C. Sabathia fronting the rotation…
And the Rangers…well, they were the Rangers. Yes, they traded for Cliff Lee, and signed an aging Vlad Guerrero to be their DH. But otherwise, they were relying on a bunch of hitters without playoff experience, as well a converted reliever and a guy who got run out of the majors and had to go to Japan in the rotation behind Lee. The end of the 90s saw the Rangers chased from the playoffs by a Yankees dynasty, and the start of the 2010s seemed to be setting the stage for the same thing to happen in a new decade.
Texas ceded homefield advantage one game into the series, blowing a 5-0 lead that included a gruesome five run eighth inning where five pitchers — C.J. Wilson, Darren Oliver, Darren O’Day, Clay Rapada and Derek Holland — combined to retire none of the first seven batters in the inning. The Rangers won big in Games 2 and 3, but when Cano homered off of Big Game Hunter to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead in Game 4, when backwards hat Yankees douche was yelling and posturing and Horatio Sanz’s twin was cheering and the Sopranos extra in the 72 inch waist jeans was yelling “Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!” over and over, it felt like an ill harbinger, a bad omen, the beginning of the end of the Rangers’ magical run.
In another timeline, maybe that’s the case. In another timeline, the Burnett stifles the Rangers in this Game 4, and Wilson’s Game 5 egg is followed up by a slightly less effective Colby Lewis in Game 6, with Philip Hughes avoiding the crooked number in the bottom of the fifth in Arlington and David Robertson and Kerry Wood keeping Texas off the board until Mariano Rivera gets Josh Hamilton swinging with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Rangers fans watching the Yankees celebrate at TBiA before stomping the San Francisco Giants in the World Series.
We aren’t in that timeline, though. In this timeline, the Rangers ended the Yankees’ hope of repeating as champions, of bringing back the Yankees Dynasty. They rebounded from the Cano home run that set off the iconic celebration in the stands, won the game, and won the series.
And the Yankees?
The Yankees are still chasing their next ring. When Robinson Cano hit that home run, Yankees fans felt another title was imminent, and even if, somehow, someway, they didn’t win it all in 2010, it would just be a brief delay of the inevitable, and the next ring would come in 2011 or 2012, with the Yankees surely having accumulated multiple rings by the time the 2026 season ended.
But that hasn’t happened. The Rangers have won more titles since then than the Yankees have. The Rangers have been to three World Series — including 2010 — to the Yankees’ one. Nevermind a Yankees dynasty…New York has found it difficult to get past the divisional round during that time.
Could it be that the Yankee bro’s celebration, caught on camera, along with the fans around him, caught the eye of the fickle gods of baseball? Could it be that the ostentatiousness and brashness of an entitled fanbase, encapsulated in that that shot, caught the attention of the baseball gods, who decided to punish Yankees fans for their hubris?
Despite consistently running one of the highest payrolls in the game, despite being one of the marquee franchises in the game, the Yankees haven’t won a World Series title since. They have now gone 17 seasons without a title, tied for the longest stretch in franchise history since the team won its first title in 1923. Given their payroll, their on-field success in the regular season during that time, you’d have thought they’d have won the World Series at least once in that stretch, right?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s The Day After and now that we’ve all had some time to really take things into perspective, the obvious thing to do in times like this is to look forward. The good news is that following their exit in the NLDS at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s pretty clear where the Atlanta Braves need to focus their improvement efforts on. The main question, however, is how are they going to do that in a way that tangibly changes things going forward?
For the most part, the Braves are going to be running it back. In order of compensation, Chris Sale, Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Spencer Strider, Ronald Acuña Jr. (team option), Robert Suarez, Sean Murphy, Jurickson Profar (Yep), Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Harris II, Reynaldo López and Ozzie Albies are all under contract for next season. Dylan Lee, James Karinchak, Joey Wentz, Michael Grove, Luke Williams and Bryce Elder are all eligible for arbitration. Spencer Schwellenbach, Grant Holmes, Drake Baldwin, Ray Kerr, Didier Fuentes, Dylan Dodd and Victor Mederos are still in pre-arbitration so they’re under team control.
Now, it’s tough to imagine what moves can be made considering that there’s a pretty decent chance that the financial landscape of baseball is going to change significantly once the impending CBA negotiations and potentially-looming lockout is said and done with but no matter what, I’d imagine that the 2027 Braves are going to look similar to the 2026 Braves. Atlanta is locked in at catcher, first base, (very likely) second base, third base, center field and (very likely) right field, they’ll have enough starting pitching to fill out a rotation from the names I listed above and their bullpen is likely going to have its key players returning as well.
There’s an opportunity to run it back for the Braves and I’d imagine that Alex Anthopoulos would do so. Again, this is a team that won 94 games and the NL East Division and has made the Postseason in every season but one since winning the World Series in 2021 — and even in 2025, you could argue that the injury bug was the main culprit for how disastrous that season ended up being. This is still a solid core with players who have the potential to break out at any given moment, so there’s no reason to even consider blowing it up. It’s also clear that both Anthopoulos and Walt Weiss value clubhouse chemistry a ton and this clubhouse’s chemistry is arguably as good as it gets around baseball, so that’s another reason to not just cause an earthquake with the ballclub.
With that being said, it can’t be denied that the offense has taken a precipitous drop since their historically-successful 2023 regular season — and it’s not like there have been many changes with this squad since then. The Braves have gone from a MLB-leading 126 team wRC+ in 2023 to a 101 wRC+ in 2024, then 101 wRC+ again in 2025 before sliding down to a below-average 97 wRC+ in 2026. Acuña, Olson, Murphy, Riley, Albies, and Harris were all here in 2023 and the fact that the lineup has declined as much as it has is actually a bit strange considering that there are only two players in that group who are over 30: Murphy and Olson, and it’s not like they’re ancient, themselves.
I hate to do coaching speculation since 1) we’re not privy to their contract situations and 2) we haven’t heard anything suggesting that anybody’s jobs could be in danger but it would also make sense if Tim Hyers’ position as hitting coach could come into question considering the performance. Dodgers pitching staff or not, a Postseason performance like what we saw at the plate from the Braves is going to put the magnifying glass on what exactly is going on with the offense and when it comes to that, Hyers is the one who could end up taking the blame in a big way if the Braves do decide to make a change. That’s purely speculation on my part but also I’m not the only one!
It’s also difficult to envision any trades being made — again, they’re locked in at a lot of positions for a lot of dollars and any trades would have to be of either the blockbuster variety or something at the very fringes. So with that in mind, the way that the Braves could address the situation is the ol’ fashioned way: From within.
As it turns out, the Braves currently have two position player prospects on the farm who just so happen to play the positions that could fill the pressing positional needs for the Braves for the forseeable future. Eric Hartman really made a name for himself during this past minor league season and while the Braves did have him playing center field for the most part, he also spent time manning left field as well. Tate Southisene is another consensus Top 100 prospect who has done a solid job of improving on the farm system this season and sure enough, he’s capable of playing shortstop as well.
Will they be ready in time for the 2027 season? That’s a bit doubtful, considering that both prospects are estimated for a 2028 arrival according to MLB Pipeline. It’s more of a long-term option but those two are coming and they could finally address two inconsistent spots on the roster that have dogged the Braves for a few years now.
The bridge options are appealing, though. I’d imagine that the Braves are going to try hard to bring back Mauricio Dubón for another season considering how valuable he was for them with both his versatility and being able to man the shortstop spot when needed. Left Field may be a trickier proposition — remember, Jurickson Profar was slated to be a full-time DH before he got caught enjoying too much of a balanced and nutritious breakfast everyday for the second season in a row and had to take an unpaid suspension for the entirety of the 2026 season. Yaz is still going to be around but again, he’s certainly a platoon option rather than an everyday option. I’d imagine that they’ll try to acquire another outfielder to form a platoon.
The main reason why I haven’t mentioned trading as much so far is because of the contract status of a lot of the core players and also because again, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to what baseball looks like after the labor war ends. There’s not a lot to speculate on until that’s figured out but again, I can’t see other teams really having the appetite to attempt to “fix” Austin Riley with the contract that he’s on and it’s a safe assumption that the Braves are simply going to try to figure this out internally when it comes to improving the offense as a whole.
It’s a tricky situation to be in if you’re Alex Anthopoulos and anybody in this front office! The team on paper is fine but if they’re going to take the next step and potentially pick up another World Series title during this current window that they’re in, it’s clear that they’re going to need to find a way to hit more consistently — especially in the Postseason. This routine of the bats failing to show up in October for the past few playoff appearances is starting to get honestly tiring and concerning. Even if the level of competition ratchets up during the Postseason, a near team-wide power outage that the Braves sustained shouldn’t be happening as consistently as it does for this team in the playoffs. It also started to rear its ugly head during this regular season as well (remember June?) and it’s become clear that improving the offense should be the main focus going into the offseason.
How will they do that? There’s still a ton of questions to be answered and we’re still a little too early to be getting into specifics. But it’s clear what needs to be done and hopefully we’ll see them make progress on addressing those issues once everybody gets a chance to actually figure it out in the offseason. We’ll see what happens.
Nick Foligno will join the Minnesota Wild's injury list, as coach John Hynes confirmed today that the veteran forward will miss tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Saturday's game against the Florida Panthers with an upper-body injury.
Foligno is considered day-to-day, and the team hopes he can return to the lineup on Monday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Foligno played just 3:29 before exiting in the first period against the Buffalo Sabres. In three games this season, Foligno has scored one goal and fired three shots on goal.
The 38-year-old dealt with injury issues last season during his split season between the Wild and the Chicago Blackhawks.
In wake of Foligno's absence, Hynes has altered his lines.
Marcus Foligno will move onto the third line with Ryan Hartman and Bobby Brink. Yakov Trenin will slide down to the fourth line with Michael McCarron and Nico Sturm, who is entering the lineup in place of Foligno.
Up against the Lightning tonight, the Wild will have to slow down Nikita Kucherov, who has potted one goal and racked up four points in three games. The Wild will avoid 2025-26 Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy, but they will face Dennis Hildeby, a 6-foot-6, 25-year-old Swedish netminder who has played 26 NHL games for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source.Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
A familiar face from the Colorado Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup championship run is facing an extended absence after a hard hit left Detroit Red Wings forward J.T. Compher sidelined.
Compher was injured Sunday during Detroit’s 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets after being driven into the boards by Jets defenseman Tyrel Bauer in the first period. He did not return to the game, and the collision was followed by a fight between Bauer and Red Wings defenseman Keegan Kolesar.
Cale Makar following a recent victory over the St. Louis Blues
While that altercation quickly drew attention, Detroit’s bigger concern was the health of Compher. Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan had no significant update Wednesday, saying Compher was not skating and remained day-to-day. The Red Wings have since placed him on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least 10 games.
For Avalanche fans, Compher’s absence is an opportunity to remember just how valuable he was during Colorado’s championship years.
Selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the 2013 NHL Draft, Compher did not make his NHL debut until March 2, 2017, when he suited up for the Avalanche. He went on to spend parts of seven seasons in Colorado, appearing in 423 regular-season games and recording 88 goals and 106 assists for 194 points.
But Compher’s impact went beyond his regular-season production. During Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup run, he became one of the team’s most reliable depth contributors. He appeared in all 20 playoff games, scoring five goals and adding three assists.
Those eight points only tell part of the story. Compher consistently delivered timely goals and important plays throughout Colorado’s run to the championship, establishing himself as one of the roster’s most dependable depth pieces.
After the 2023 season, Compher left Colorado in free agency and signed a five-year, $25.5 million contract with Detroit. He has not replicated the success he enjoyed with the Avalanche, but his contributions to Colorado’s championship run remain an important part of his legacy.
Now, the Red Wings will have to move forward without him as they await further clarity on his injury.
This one feels a little different, as not only could the Yankees not catch the small-payroll Rays in the AL East, they were swept out of the ALDS by their divisional foes. Their World Series title drought is now 17 years — the longest stretch since the Yankees won their first championship in 1923.
Now, they head into an especially uncertain offseason — for both themselves and the sport.
Access the Yankees beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
And in his closing comments after Wednesday’s loss, their most important player — Aaron Judge — had a message for the front office: “We’re the Yankees. I feel like they should go all-in and do what they need to do and if we’ve got holes, it’s finding certain players or personnel, whatever we need, we’ve got to go out there and get it.’’
Complicating matters is the fact that MLB is almost certainly going to face another lockout when the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1 and there are fears that it may last deep into next year, with the landscape of the game potentially changing significantly, as the owners seek to implement a salary cap.
With all that in mind, here’s a look at some of the key decisions the Yankees have to consider:
Leadership
The most important issues the Yankees face this offseason are at the top: Does Hal Steinbrenner want general manager Brian Cashman to continue to lead baseball operations? And if Cashman does return, does the longtime executive want to keep Aaron Boone as manager with one year remaining on Boone’s deal?
Aaron Boone reacts walks back to the dugout after making a pitching change in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ Game 3 season-ending loss to the Rays in The Bronx. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Cashman endorsed Boone before the Yankees’ season-ending loss to the Rays in Game 3 of the ALDS, saying, “I think Boone’s a really good manager. We’re here for a reason. There’s a lot of reasons behind that. And he’s certainly part of that.”
Boone, following the sweep, said he “of course” expected to return, adding, “Those conversations are for another day.”
As for Cashman, the last time his contract ended, it wasn’t renewed until later in the offseason.
Free agent position players
The Yankees’ offense went cold in the ALDS without Judge — as well as for long stretches during the slugger’s absence during the regular season.
Part of that was due to down seasons from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham.
Grisham is almost certainly a goner, with his production with both his bat and glove deteriorating this season after getting the qualifying offer last offseason.
Chisholm is eligible for the qualifying offer, but it seems increasingly unlikely the Yankees give it to the second baseman, who followed up a breakout year with a rough one filled with mistakes.
Chisholm didn’t start against right-hander Nick Martinez in the clincher, another bad sign for the lefty-swinging infielder.
Veteran bats Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario will also be free agents.
Trent Grisham strikes out swinging with a runner on base, ending the Yankees’ season in their Game 3 loss to the Rays. Robert Sabo for New York Post
Goldschmidt was valuable as a righty-hitting option at first base and could return under the right circumstances, but Rosario played poorly all season.
Free agent pitchers
The strength of the Yankees, their starting rotation, should remain largely intact, but the bullpen is another matter.
Closer David Bednar is set to hit the open market and is coming off a strong season in The Bronx. He figures to be at or near the top of the list when it comes to who the Yankees look to retain.
Blackburn emerged as a key, late-inning right-handed arm after resigning with the Yankees last offseason, who value his ability to pitch in high-leverage situations.
Lefties Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough have provided valuable innings over the years in The Bronx, while John Schreiber and Michael Fulmer, two late-season signings, will also be back on the market.
Who’s on first?
As we look towards 2027, the only spot in which the Yankees are set in the infield is at shortstop, where George Lombard Jr. appears ready to stick for years to come defensive miscues notwithstanding.
The Yankees could go with Luis García Jr. at first base, but they may also want to open that spot for Ben Rice if Giancarlo Stanton is able to stay healthy and can serve as the DH. Either way, they’ll look to make a change at second, since García can’t play there every day.
Could that be Anthony Volpe, who breathed new life into his career after losing his shortstop job to Lombard, or do they look to sign someone like oft-mentioned target Luis Arraez?
Moving around the diamond brings us to third base, where Ryan McMahon took a big step back with his defense — which was his calling card when he was acquired from the Rockies in 2025. He was also benched against a righty in the postseason, but is owed $16 million next season.
And back to Stanton, what can the Yankees expect from the injury-prone DH who missed almost the entire year with calf injuries?
A dejected Luis Garcia Jr. reacts after the final out of the ninth inning of the Yankees’ Game 2 loss to the Rays. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post
Their outfield situation appears to be more set, with the always reliable Cody Bellinger in left and perhaps Spencer Jones as the answer in center.
But Heliot Ramos was a huge disappointment after coming over from San Francisco at the deadline and another year has passed and Jasson Domínguez still hasn’t proven he’s an everyday player, leaving his future with the organization in doubt.
Of course, Judge has to stay healthy for any of their roster moves to matter.
The Yankees overcame his absence to get to the postseason, but they were no match for Tampa Bay without him and clearly aren’t a World Series threat unless he’s in the lineup.
Catching up
The Yankees looked into upgrading the catching spot at the trade deadline, but ultimately stayed with Austin Wells, who was among the worst hitters in the game in the first half of the season.
He steadied himself at the plate after the All-Star break and was one of the few bats that did anything against the Rays, but they need some help in the area.
They pursued Ryan Jeffers from the Twins at the trade deadline, but he stayed in Minnesota. Perhaps they look to him again in free agency.
Making a pitch
While the rotation is in good shape with Cy Young favorite Cam Schlitter, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón and Will Warren all healthy — along with Ryan Weathers and perhaps Clarke Schmidt — there are plenty of questions about the pen.
They could look at Raisel Iglesias, the Atlanta closer that has long intrigued the Yankees, although he turns 37 in January.
Adrián Morejón, the left-hander the Yankees looked into at the deadline before he stayed in San Diego, is also a free agent.
And then there’s hard-throwing Carlos Lagrange, the fireballing righty the Yankees hoped might provide innings out of the pen, but was unable to recover from a shoulder injury in time to make his debut.
The Vegas Golden Knights could see a slightly different-looking Toronto Maple Leafs lineup when the two teams meet Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena.
Toronto used its morning skate to make some adjustments up front, with the biggest changes coming in the middle six. The Maple Leafs arrive in Vegas with a 2-2-0 record, while the Golden Knights have opened the season 3-1-0.
As reported by Andre Leal of The Hockey News, rookie Gavin McKenna is expected to return to the third line with Nick Paul and Colton Sissons. McKenna spent time alongside John Tavares and William Nylander during Toronto’s overtime victory over Nashville.
Easton Cowan is now projected to occupy the left-wing spot on the second line with Tavares and Nylander. Toronto’s first and fourth lines are otherwise unchanged, while the defensive pairings are also expected to remain intact.
The adjustments follow a wild 5-4 overtime win over the Predators, when Toronto coach Jim Hiller shuffled his forward combinations throughout the game. McKenna made headlines by scoring his first NHL goal, finishing a play set up by Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic.
Toronto is also expected to change goaltenders.
Sergei Bobrovsky, who won two Stanley Cups as a member of the Florida Panthers is projected to get the start against Vegas after Anthony Stolarz handled the crease against Nashville. Bobrovsky, who struggled in his final year by the beach, is still looking for his first victory as a Maple Leaf after beginning the season 0-2-0, with a .887 save percentage and 3.06 goals-against average.
His career numbers against Vegas are considerably stronger. Bobrovsky is 8-3-0 in 11 appearances against the Golden Knights, posting a .913 save percentage and 2.40 GAA.
Vegas is expected to counter with Adin Hill, who will make his second start of the season after stopping 18 of 20 shots in a 3-2 win over Vancouver.
The Golden Knights will also welcome Raphael Lavoie into the lineup for the first time this season. He’ll replace Victor Olofsson, who was injured in Vegas’ most recent game against Seattle. Olofsson’s absence is a notable one after he opened the season with four goals in the Golden Knights’ first four games.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates in the locker room with teammates after winning game three of the ALDS against the New York Yankees and winning the series 3-0 during the 2026 MLB Playoffs, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York.
The Yankees might prefer this news doesn’t spread.
Video emerged from the visitors’ clubhouse on Wednesday night, after the Rays finished their sweep of the Bronx Bombers in Game 3 of their ALDS series, of the winning team singing along to Frank Sinatra’s “(Theme From) New York, New York.”
The Rays, arm-in-arm, with beer showering over them, added one final insult to the Yankees’ playoff injury on their home turf, where they play the quintessential New York tune after wins.
The end of the 3-0 sweep also saw Tampa Bay star Junior Caminero mime a broom while he celebrated on the field, with the third baseman later mimicking former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz’s catchphrase, “Da Yankees lose!”
Invoking a Red Sox legend in this instance is a fitting choice.
Boston famously used the Sinatra classic as a rally point en route to their 2018 World Series title, after Aaron Judge played the tune while walking past the Red Sox clubhouse on his way out of Fenway Park after an ALDS win.
It came back to bite him when Boston blared “(Theme From) New York, New York” after defeating the Yankees in four games — and then again after they defeated the Dodgers to win it all.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates in the locker room with teammates after winning game three of the ALDS against the New York Yankees and winning the series 3-0 on Oct. 7, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Judge later told The Post he had “no regrets” about his decision.
The Yankees captain, who missed the entire playoff run with a calf injury, is once again left watching another AL East team march on. It’s a feeling he’s not going to let himself move on from.
“Just hating every single moment of it,” Judge said of his thoughts when he was sitting in the dugout as the series came to a close. “So I don’t forget it. I was thinking of missed opportunities this season and this series.”
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Hockey fans across North America may have to be night owls at points this season to see their team play, thanks to a move by three Canadian provinces to stay on daylight saving time.
Alberta, home of the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, Manitoba with the Winnipeg Jets and British Columbia with the Vancouver Canucks decided not to move clocks back an hour in November and ahead in March, a shift that throws a few wrinkles into an NHL schedule that is driven by media rights holders.
“It’s out of our control,” Calgary president and chief executive officer Robert Hayes told the Canadian Press. “I’ve always said in my business career, ‘Let’s focus on the things we can control,’ and we can’t control that. A decision was made by the province ... and decisions were made by others that this is the time we’re going to start hockey games.”
For the Flames, that means the puck will drop at 9 p.m. local time for eight games, including two at home (Dec. 26 and Jan. 16).
“Professional athletes got to do what we got to do to get ready,” said Flames captain Mikael Backlund. “There’s caffeine out there.”
Edmonton has seven games starting at 9 p.m. Defenseman Jake Walman doesn't think he will have as many family members watching at home, while teammate Trent Frederic expects to adjust his sleep routine to go to bed, nap and eat lunch later than normal.
“The naps are big, or at least they are for myself," Frederic said. "A lot of times after games, the later games, you’re going to bed late, you’re still wired, so it’s just important to kind of stick with getting the good naps.”
Manitoba announced its decision on Sept. 17, the same day players hit the ice for NHL training camps. The next day, the NHL issued changes to a dozen Winnipeg Jets home games, pushing them back an hour, but none later than 7:30 p.m. local time. Manitoba will be on the same time as Toronto on Nov. 1.
The Canucks have some quirky road puck drops, including one trip in January with five different start times ranging from noon to 6 p.m.
"It’s going to be different,” winger Brendan Gallagher said. “It’s something that we’ve never really been through. Even having an 8 p.m. game to start the season, a little bit different, but we’ll get used to it.
At the Stanley Cup Final in June, Commissioner Gary Bettman joked that nobody asked the league what it thought about the time zone changes.
“Not that they should have, but we’ll deal with it,” Bettman said, foreshadowing the impact on some start times for Canada's Western Conference teams. “We’ll deal with just as we deal with whatever things come our way that we don’t get to control.”
After losing to the Connor Bedard-less Chicago Blackhawks, the St. Louis Blues could face the Macklin Celebrini-less San Jose Sharks.
Celebrini was a late scratch on Monday against the Dallas Stars, where the Sharks lost 5-0, and tonight, Celebrini's participation is in jeopardy.
The 20-year-old captain did partake in the optional skate this morning, but his status for tonight's game against the Blues is a game-time decision. Celebrini did not participate in any of the previous two team practices on Tuesday and Wednesday.
It's an encouraging sign for the Sharks, but nothing is definitive yet.
As for the Blues, taking on a Celebrini-less Sharks is a much more favorable matchup, but if Tuesday's loss to the Blackhawks proves anything, it's that any NHL team can beat another on any given night.
The Blackhawks hosted the Blues with a 0-3-0 record and 15 goals against, but they limited the Blues to just two goals and 27 shots.
The Sharks have a 2-1-0 record, but they are allowing four goals a game and 29 shots. Despite off-season blueline additions, they remain vulnerable defensively.
Without Celebrini, they are also vulnerable offensively. Against the Stars, the Sharks mustered just 13 shots on goal. Even without Celebrini, the Sharks still boast a forward group of Will Smith, Michael Misa, Ivar Stenberg, Igor Chernyshov, Colin Graf, and other veterans, so it's no free pass.
The Blues are still looking to get some players going, notably the top line of Robert Thomas, Dylan Holloway, and Jimmy Snuggerud. They'll convert chances soon, and tonight against the Sharks is another opportunity to do so.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source.Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns dunks the ball against the Chicago Bulls during the first half of the preseason game at the United Center on October 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Preseason results deserve a healthy dose of skepticism, but with Mark Williams sidelined for multiple months, the Phoenix Suns have a position battle worth paying attention to. Through two games, Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach have provided an early glimpse into what each brings to the starting center position, and perhaps more importantly, what each still needs to improve.
At first glance, when you consider that the center will likely be the fifth offensive option on this team, you begin looking at what the other four starters are lacking. Jalen Green, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges bring plenty to the table, but there are deficiencies within that group that will need to be addressed. You could point to the lack of effective facilitation and distribution. You could point to shooting. You could point to size and rebounding. All of those observations would be valid, and all are areas of concern as the regular season approaches. And that is a lot of pointing.
The Suns will have to manufacture effective ball distribution because they don’t have a true facilitator in that starting group. Fingers are crossed that Jalen Green will grow in this role, but the more likely outcome is that a distribution-by-committee approach will be their modus operandi, with multiple players creating opportunities rather than relying on a single traditional playmaker to orchestrate the offense. Such is modern NBA life
Shooting is another challenge. None of those four players can be defined as an “above-average three-point shooter”, and some are coming off the worst shooting seasons of their careers (Booker at 33.3%, his second-worst year, and Jalen Green at 31.3%, his worst). Collectively, they’re career 34.7% shooters from beyond the arc, which creates questions about how effectively Phoenix can space the floor.
Then there’s size and rebounding. None of those four players is particularly imposing physically or known for being a dominant presence on the glass. Of the quarter, Miles Bridges had the best rebounding percentage at 9.2%, but that ranks 140th out of the 367 players who played at least 40 games a season ago. That puts additional pressure on whoever occupies the center position to provide some of what the rest of the starting lineup lacks.
That’s what makes this position battle so interesting. When you look at the two candidates competing for the starting role, Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, you’re looking at two players with very different skill sets. Each offers a potential solution to certain deficiencies within the starting lineup, and determining which of those needs takes priority could ultimately dictate who earns the job.
You have Oso Ighodaro, who is a plus facilitator and rather unique in his ability to distribute the ball from the five position. He elevates those around him with his ability to see the floor, make quick decisions, deliver quality passes, and set effective screens that create space for his teammates. But he’s average when it comes to size and rebounding. And shooting? Like a certain Margaret Mitchell novel, it’s Gone with the Wind.
Then you have Maluach, who has yet to develop passing and distribution into a reliable part of his skill set. That’s not to say he’s horrible at it, but it certainly isn’t one of his primary strengths. Can he shoot? Yes. He has the potential to stretch the floor, and if given enough opportunities, he might begin shooting with enough regularity that opposing defenses have to respect it, opening up space for his teammates. But size and rebounding? That’s supposed to be his bread and butter.
So you look at these two candidates, knowing that head coach Jordan Ott has opted to start Oso through the first two preseason games. And personally? I don’t blame him. He’s going with what he knows. He’s going with experience. He’s going with a player whose facilitation can help unlock the other four starters’ offensive potential. That leaves Maluach with the secondary minutes, along with a few opportunities sprinkled in alongside the starters.
Through the first two games, I wouldn’t go so far as to say Oso has lapped Maluach, but he’s certainly rounding the second corner of the track with a comfortable lead. I think much of that comes down to his understanding of where he needs to be on the floor and his cerebral approach to the game. It also has to do with the fact that Maluach hasn’t looked particularly comfortable.
Again, it’s preseason, and that’s what these repetitions are for. Repetition becomes retention, right? Khaman needs opportunities to get on the floor, feel his way through different situations, and begin translating all the work he’s put in this offseason into tangible results. Because my first observation of Maluach through these two games is that the effort is there. As every good football coach has told his team at some point, there are only two things you can control: your attitude and your effort. Both are aligned for Maluach.
The problem is that the results of that effort haven’t consistently materialized. Some of that comes down to poor positioning. Some of it is being too reactive. And some of it feels like he’s perpetually facing the wrong direction. When operating in high-dribble handoffs, he isn’t looking downhill to recognize whether an opportunity might be available. He’s so focused on being a cog in the wheel of the offensive action that he isn’t identifying what the defense is giving him. He hands the ball off, rolls into a defender, and the entire sequence becomes predictable. When a shot goes up, he’s looking for somebody to box out rather than tracking the ball. By the time it hits the rim, he’s already slightly out of position.
These are things that come with repetition and instinct. It’s about learning to track the basketball while maintaining awareness of your opponent’s position, feeling for him with your hand, and positioning yourself to secure the rebound. It was disappointing to watch him get pushed around by Bulls rookie Tobe Awaka and lose that individual matchup. That’s the kind of performance that makes it difficult to envision Maluach winning the starting role at this point.
But as I always say, development isn’t linear. What matters now is what he does moving forward. Can he recognize these mistakes on film, understand why they occurred, and put those lessons into action the next time he takes the floor? That’s what will determine the next step in his development.
Through two preseason games, he’s attempted only one three-pointer, so the shooting hasn’t become a threat in any meaningful capacity. And the size and rebounding that should be his greatest advantages haven’t been particularly impressive either. For a player who had a 15.1 rebounding percentage last season and 22.4% in Summer League, his rebounding percentage is at 10.0% in his team-high 42.1 minutes played thus far this preseason.
Through the first two preseason games, Khaman Maluach’s rebounding percentage is 10.0%.
He’s totaled 14 points and six rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting while going 4-of-8 from the free-throw line. The effort is there. The attitude is there. Now we need to see the execution catch up. I assume we will see him get some run with the starters at some point this preseason, so the team can not only see what it looks like, but also allow him the developmental opportunity.
As for Oso, he’s getting his run with the starters and fitting comfortably into the role, much like he did last season. Through two preseason games, he’s shooting 71.4% from the field and an abysmal 25% from the free-throw line, going 1-of-4. He’s added seven rebounds, three of which have come on the offensive glass, four assists, and a pair of steals. Overall, he’s a +12. His assist percentage sits at 14.8%, identical to Devin Booker’s, while his rebound percentage is 12.1%.
His rim-running ability has opened up different aspects of the offense, and his versatility on that end of the floor continues to illustrate why Jordan Ott prefers him in the starting lineup. He understands how to operate within the offense, where to position himself, and how to create opportunities for those around him. He possesses more experience, and through the first two preseason games, that experience has been apparent.
That’s where we stand at this moment in the battle for the starting center position. It’s a fluid situation that can constantly change, and once the regular season begins, it could ultimately become matchup-dependent.
If you focus on doing the little things right, the big things tend to take care of themselves. Oso is doing those little things right. And while it might not be particularly impressive to some, especially those who want him to become more of a shooter than he’ll likely ever be, we have to remember that not every center in the NBA possesses the ability to stretch the floor. And that’s okay. What needs to become a greater point of emphasis, however, is rebounding.
I understand that it’s difficult when you’re constantly being pulled away from the basket defensively, switching onto perimeter players, and being asked to defend in space. That’s another area where Oso excels. But you can’t be underneath the basket securing rebounds when you’re out on the perimeter defending a switch.
That’s why team rebounding is going to be so important for the Phoenix Suns this season. They lack the overall size and rebounding presence that larger teams possess simply by having bigger bodies on the floor. It will require a collective effort, with everybody understanding their responsibilities and doing the little things necessary to finish defensive possessions. And right now, those little things are precisely what’s giving Oso the advantage in this position battle.
Ultimately, this battle is about finding the right balance for a starting lineup with some very specific needs. Oso currently provides the reliability, connectivity, and defensive versatility that make everyone else’s job easier. Maluach offers a different dimension, but his physical advantages need to translate into consistent execution. Both have value, and both will have opportunities. For now, Ott appears to be prioritizing understanding over upside. And given what we’ve seen through two games, that’s a decision I can get behind.
SAN DIEGO — Major League Baseball proposed to the players union Thursday that the regular season be reduced from 162 games to 154 games for the first time since 1960, with teams also playing four split-doubleheaders during the season, ending the season a week earlier than normal.
The reduced schedule, which would provide virtually each team an off day every Monday except for holidays and special events, would begin in 2029 to coincide with MLB’s new national TV package.
MLB, while wanting to lengthen the division series from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven format (which would potentially add eight games to the postseason), also is proposing once again that the highest-seeded teams in the postseason can choose their playoff opponent. It is similar to the same proposal during their 2021 negotiations when it tried to expand the playoff field to 14 teams, but the union refused because it believed it would promote mediocrity, and they settled on a 12-team playoff pool.
"Returning to a 154-game schedule would allow us to introduce a weekly off day, which is good for player health, while also creating a new national broadcast window to showcase our most exciting teams and players," MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. "A shorter regular season unlocks making October even better for our fans – with fewer weekday afternoon games, a longer Division Series, and more opportunities to see the game’s best pitchers on the biggest stage. And allowing the top seeds to select their opponents in the first two rounds would create compelling storylines, intensify existing rivalries and create new ones."
MLB, which vowed that players would not have their salaries reduced and that award bonuses would become pro-rated, is also trying to appease the union by saying that a shorter season would help reduce the number of injuries, particularly among pitchers, while lessening the frequent optioning of pitchers to the minor leagues. Teams averaged 24% fewer optional assignments when they had an off day during a week compared to playing seven days in the week, according to MLB’s research.
The new playoff format is nearly identical to the one MLB wanted in 2021.
The top two teams would still receive byes, and the No. 3 seed would select whether they want to play the No. 5 or No. 6 seed. In the division series, the top seed would select which wild-card winner they want to play. The selections would likely come on a national TV show.
Certainly, it would prevent what occurred this postseason when the top three teams in the American League – the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox of the AL East – were all in the same bracket. The Red Sox were eliminated in the wild-card round and the Yankees in the division series. The bracket structure left the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians on the opposite side from the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox.
The caveat, of course, is that the players union would have to agree to a salary cap, which it has long resisted.
"Players will weigh in on these proposals, and we will respond at the bargaining table," the union said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the league once again made clear that all of its proposals are contingent on players’ agreement to a salary cap, a system that guts player rights and compensation, as well as its other anti-player proposals."
The current collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, and if no agreement is reached, MLB is expected to impose a lockout that could carry into the 2027 season. MLB sent memos to each team last week reminding them of the protocols, which were employed during their last lockout in 2021 that lasted 99 days.
